Heartsridge Shifters: Austin (South-One Bears Book 1)

by Olivia Arran

  They already knew. Yet they hadn’t called me on it. I set my coffee mug down. “How?” It was all I could manage.

  “People talk and—”

  “I’ll fucking kill Law—”

  “Whoa,” Brent threw his hands up, as if warding off an imminent attack, “Not Law. A leak from the higher ups. When you registered you had put down your birth parents.”

  And they were human, which meant I’d also had to register the date of my first change. Not a lot of digging needed. “Shit like this should have been private,” I grumbled, but in a way it was a relief. Everyone had already known, nothing had changed.

  “Should have, but shit happens,” Brent commented. At least they weren’t treating me any different.

  “It doesn’t bother you?” At their blank stares, I continued, “Having someone as your Alpha who was bitten, not born.”

  “Should it?” That was from Cade. He seriously didn’t seem to understand what I was asking.

  “You’re the Alpha because you’re strong enough. Nothing else matters,” Brent added, speaking real slow as if talking to a two year old.

  And that was that. In their eyes it really was that simple, apparently it was only me with the hang-up.

  Except … maybe that wasn’t true. The anger wasn’t gone, but it had dwindled away to a low simmer when I wasn’t paying attention. If I could, would I still go back and change what had happened? I wanted to say yes, if only to honor my parents’ memories, but the image of Leona stretched out naked beneath me blurred my vision of the past. My fated mate, because I was a shifter. And she hadn’t rejected her sister for what had happened to her, hadn’t blamed her for not being able to control herself, or for what she’d become. She still loved her.

  She could know the truth about me and maybe love me, too. Not as a victim, which in the darkest corner of my soul, where no-one would ever dare look, had been the real reason for keeping my original secret from everyone, but as a man. An equal.

  “You’re thinking some deep shit there, Alpha.”

  I ignored Brent, still thinking over the realization that rocked me to my core.

  I was broken because I let a man I’d never met make me this way. The past creeped back in, tendrils of darkness punching holes in my revelation. He wasn’t the only one to blame. If I could face up to that, then maybe I could be free of the pain?

  I dragged a hand over my face. Fuck that shit. “I’m going to see Jake.” And if he wanted a brawl, I’d give it to him, because no way a member of my team was facing the darkness alone.

  I knew how that felt; I faced it every day.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Leona

  “Hey there,” a familiar male voice called out.

  Shielding my eyes from the midday sun, I blinked and followed the direction of the voice.

  Nate walked toward me with a friendly smile on his face, dressed in a checkered shirt and dark denim jeans. A cap covered his light brown buzz cut and shielded his eyes. “How is she today?” he asked, stopping a foot or so away from me.

  Ah, he must have come up this way to visit Harper. Widening my smile, I gestured at the door I’d just exited. “See for yourself. She’s doing really well.”

  He nodded, flashing me a sheepish grin and stepped around me.

  “Actually,” I called out, already feeling a little foolish, but something had been bugging me.

  He paused, waiting for me to spit it out.

  “When you came by yesterday and Harper reacted … like that,” inside I squirmed, still not able to reconcile the sister I knew with the man eater from yesterday, “anyway, I have a question,” I blurted out.

  Leaning against the wall as if he had all the time in the world, he waited, giving me the time to collect my thoughts.

  “She didn’t react like that when she met Austin.” There. I’d said it. I didn’t know why it had been bugging me, but Nate had said that any shifter would have stirred that kind of reaction in Harper, and Austin was a shifter, and he was hot. Really hot. And I was babbling inside my own head, something he was very much aware of given the laughter dancing in his eyes.

  “This was the day before, right?”

  I nodded, chewing on my bottom lip in anticipation of his answer.

  He chuckled, his shoulder lifting in a half shrug. “That’s easy, Austin wasn’t available. Isn’t available, I should say,” he added, giving me a nod and opening the door.

  It didn’t make sense. “How … um … how would she know that?”

  “Shifters can smell it,” he called over his shoulder, the door swinging shut behind him.

  Smell it? Like a perfume? Deciding to give my sister some time with Nate, and gasping for a decent cup of coffee, I set off down into town. Austin had told me this morning that the perimeter was secure again, so I had no need to worry about traipsing through the woodland on my own. Then it hit me. Nate had said Austin wasn’t available, that Harper had smelled this on him, but that had been before… Blood rushed to my face as I remembered last night, and this morning, and all the times in-between. Every muscle in my body still ached in that languid and loose way that let a woman know she’d been with a man who knew what he was doing. I was pretty sure that to a shifter’s nose, I smelled like Austin. I knew enough now to hazard a guess that I reeked of him. But, the timing didn’t add up. If he’d already been taken, what had he been doing chasing after me and how could he possibly expect to hide last night from any girlfriend of his? Pain ripped through my chest at the thought of Austin touching another woman. Holding her. Nibbling on her ear and whispering what he’d like to do to her…

  I shook my head, trying to dislodge the thought, but I couldn’t get rid of the bad taste in my mouth. He wouldn’t be able to hide it; he was too honest. Too noble and kind, unless I was really that bad at reading people? Could he have just broken up with someone? Maybe, but I’d read that shifters mated for life, a concept alien and foreign to a lot of humans. Yet another reminder that this was a different world from the one I knew.

  Whatever it was, deep down I was sure that he wasn’t the kind of guy to be unkind or dishonest. He didn’t have it in him. Hugging that thought to myself, I gave myself a talking to. It wasn’t like Austin and I were a thing. We hadn’t talked about a future, or any kind of relationship, for that matter. What he did and didn’t do wasn’t really any of my business. The frown returned, the lie laying heavy on my heart. I wanted it to be my business, more than anything in the world.

  I followed the path, dust kicking up a cloud and the town coming into sight. Shifters mated for life. The words circled inside my head, again and again. To be chosen as someone’s one and only…

  Could a shifter mate with a human?

  Inside, the cafe was a ghost town, but outside the tables were packed with tourists enjoying the balmy weather.

  “Leona, right?” The woman behind the counter peered at me and I got the funny feeling I was a bug under a microscope.

  But she made a damn good cup of coffee. “Yes.”

  “Oh!” she gasped, clutching her hands to her chest and squealing. “I’m Julie! I’ve heard absolutely nothing about you and I want to hear everything!”

  Stranger and stranger. Maybe I should take my coffee outside, but the air conditioning was way too tempting. “Uh, okay,” I offered in a weak voice. Maybe this was a tourist gimmick thing, to make us feel welcome? “What do you want to know?”

  She leaned forward on the counter, resting her head in her hands as if settling in for a long gossip. “Austin. He’s dreamy.” She waved away my started expression, clucking her tongue. “I can say that; I’m a mated woman and I have absolutely no interest in getting into Austin’s boxers. Or is he a briefs kind of guy?” At my continued silence, which she obviously took as an answer rather than the shock it really was her gaze narrowed. “Commando? Really? I shouldn’t really be surprised; those bears are known for getting their kit off at every opportunity, then again, so are the wolves…” Her voice tra
iled off, a dreamy expression stealing over her face.

  I took a wild guess. “You’re mated to one of the wolves?”

  She straightened, snapping out of whatever daydream she’d been lost in and flicking her towel at the already spotless counter. “Sure am, honey, and let me tell you, there’s nothing like a wolf in your bed to make you…” she took a deep breath, then giggled. “But I’m preaching to the wrong audience, aren’t I? Snagged yourself one big hot and sexy bear, hey?”

  This conversation was giving me whiplash, and was also making me wonder if I’d fallen asleep through a chunk of it. She was talking in riddles!

  A tinkling sounded from a back room and she hurried away, tossing, “It was so nice to meet you!” over her shoulder.

  Right. I was going outside, if only to escape another conversation that tied me in knots. Picking up my mug, I stepped back out into the thick, muggy air and wound my way through the tables, aiming for an empty one in the corner. I had a good view of the main street and people watching was a favorite pastime of mine. Something my sister and I had in common, despite our polar opposite personalities. I settled with a contented sigh, wriggling on the metal chair until I found a position gentle enough for my tender lady parts. I’d give Nate another half an hour trying to charm Harper, then his time was up.

  Voices hummed around me, the indistinct sound a mellow backdrop perfect for relaxing and forgetting the world. Resisting the urge to pull out my phone and check in, I forced myself to unplug and live in the moment. Blowing the steam off the top of my mug, I took another sip, the caramel syrup I’d indulged in transforming the caffeine hit into something sweet and yummy. Bliss.

  People walked up and down the street, some minding their own business, others stopping and staring at everything as they explored. Like I had done only a few days ago. It felt like a year ago, the town now almost as familiar and normal as back home. I supposed I’d been thrown into the mix, finding out my sister had been changed, falling for Austin—

  My thoughts stuttered. Falling for Austin. Falling. As in—

  “It’s true, you know!” A woman’s voice cut through my thoughts. Harsh and loud, she obviously didn’t give a hoot for those around her who were trying to enjoy the peace and quiet. Like me. “Are you calling me a liar?” she screeched.

  Chairs scraped on the pavement as the group of women sat themselves down at the table next to mine.

  Great. I eyed my coffee, debating whether to try and gulp it down and risk scalding my tongue, or leave it.

  “There’s one living up there in the forest, with them!” This woman appeared to only be capable of talking with a non-verbal exclamation mark, every single statement ending on a lilt that invited conjecture. The other women murmured, their glances growing more and more hopeful by the second. “I tell you, girls, you can snag yourself a shifter,” the loud woman snapped her fingers, pink shimmery nails sparkling in the sunlight, “like that!”

  “I don’t think I’d want to live here,” one of the women complained.

  “Why would you have to? We humans can come and go as we please, it’s only the shifters who have to worry about stuff like that. Think about it …” she finally chose this moment to lower her voice, enough that I had to lean forward to catch her next words, “we could snag a shifter as our mate and have a year-round pass to Heartsridge and all its facilities. Not to mention the perks of having a hot man servicing your every need.” She fluffed out her hair, a tiny smirk playing on her lips, “And let me tell you, these shifters are at a whole different level than human guys when it comes to screwing. Everything you’ve heard, double it. No, triple it! I had one last night and I’m surprised I’m walking today!”

  “What kind of shifter was he?”

  The shouty woman sneered, flicking her fingers with a dismissive air. “Does it really matter? They’ve all got the same gorgeous bods and huge cocks.”

  I’d had enough. I couldn’t believe people actually thought like this! I pushed back my chair ready to leave.

  “I’d live here, if I could,” one of the women voiced. She’d been quiet up until now, escaping my notice.

  “Honey. All you’ve got to do is get one of these big, brawny men to claim you as their mate. Done and dusted. Access to Heartsridge guaranteed.”

  Her words finally pierced the veil of my disgust, sinking in. Wait. What? “Humans can be a mate for shifters?”

  The shouty woman turned and looked me over, obviously finding me lacking. “Sure thing, honey, but they’ve got to choose you.” She made to turn back around, but my hand shot out, gripping her shoulder.

  “How would you know?”

  She let out a theatrical sigh. “You’d know. When a shifter chooses his mate, nothing stops him from claiming her.”

  “How is it done, the claiming?”

  This time her look was pure pity. “He bites you while fucking your brains out. Not to change you into one of them, as everyone knows that shifters have to be full on furry to do that. It’s some sort of shifter magic woo-woo crap.” Her upper lip curled with disgust and she shuddered, as if the thought offended her. “A little nibble, that’s all. Just hard enough to mark you as his.” She narrowed her eyes, pursing her lips into a small smirk. “Trust me, honey, you’d know.”

  I thought I thanked her, but I wasn’t sure. I stumbled away from the table and found myself outside, standing on the sidewalk. It didn’t mean anything. So what if he hadn’t bitten me, he still could. He might. Even to me it sounded like a half-assed weak excuse.

  I dragged my sorry ass across the road, forcing myself to face up to what might be the truth. This was a fling. I was on vacation and available, and Austin had been looking for some fun. I hadn’t exactly put up a fight. I’d also needed cheering up… I honestly didn’t believe he’d fucked me out of pity, he’d been way too enthusiastic to fake that, but he hadn’t claimed me. Hadn’t even hinted that was his intentions. Nothing stops him from claiming his mate…

  The worst thing? There was a way I could stay in Heartsridge and he hadn’t mentioned it, even knowing how desperate I was. There you go. I had my answer. He’d avoided telling me because he didn’t want to be stuck with me. The world blurred, my eyes stinging, but I swallowed the self-pity back.

  I couldn’t blame him. He’d probably do it if I asked, he was that kind of guy. But what kind of person would I be to force him into a relationship he obviously didn’t want? And could I really pretend not to care? Not to fall in love with him?

  I knew the answer. It was already too late.

  I was screwed. Taking a deep breath, I made the only sensible decision. I had to distance myself, to protect my heart.

  Chapter Twenty

  Austin

  Running through the woodland in my fur forced my mind to clear of all human problems and focus on the necessary. Where to place my paws, a noise in the undergrowth, a tantalizing scent that enticed and nearly had me veering off path. My team ahead, their scent known and their tracking patterns as familiar as my own. Sunlight broke through the lofty overhead branches, casting the path ahead in streaks of gold, insects buzzing and zipping through the streams of light. Sheltered from the sun, the air in the woods was gently warmed rather than the choking heat of the exposed town. Head down, I pushed harder, following Jake’s scent with single minded determination. He was speeding, but I was faster.

  A flash of fur ahead.

  Got you!

  I let out a growl, letting my power as Alpha carry it to him. Stop.

  He carried on. The destructive son-of-a-bitch. Competitiveness lit a fire under my ass, burning through me as I pushed even faster, the air whipping my face and paws pounding the ground in a relentless rhythm. Five feet ahead … then three … two … I shifted my weight a fraction, leaning into my hind legs and launched myself through the air.

  He twisted, trying to roll out of the impact zone, but it was too late. We crashed together, claws slicing through the air and legs kicking. He wanted a brawl? I’d f
ucking give it to him. Slamming my front leg into his chest, I pinned him to the ground, snapping at his neck with my teeth.

  He twisted, heaving his bulk and rotating until we were rolling, the grass smashing beneath us, bushes obliterated and dust flying in clouds around us while we tried to tear chunks from each other.

  We crashed into a tree. My bones vibrated all the way through to my teeth. Fuck. I shook my large head, half expecting to see tweety birds circling.

  Jake snarled, his eyes clouded with pain. He shook himself, shoving at me with his paws.

  Okay. I backed away, the change flowing over me until I stood on human legs. “Shift,” I commanded, folding my arms and staring him down.

  He hunched in on himself, a low growl vibrating up through his chest, but the fur receded, absorbed into his skin as his bones shifted and realigned, until he was crouched on the floor as a man, his chest heaving and head down.

  “What the fuck, Jake?” I hadn’t meant to sound exasperated, but I was fast approaching the end of my patience. “Do you want to challenge me for Alpha? Is that it?”

  Silence. Then, “No.” He still didn’t look up.

  “Good. You’d be a shit Alpha.”

  His eyes snapped to me. “Tell me something I don’t know.” He was trying his hardest to stay pissed, but the moment had passed.

  I wasn’t going to let it slide, not this time. Maybe I’d been too lenient in the past and if I’d been harder on him, we wouldn’t be here, now. “What is your fucking problem?”

  He staggered to standing, rolling back his shoulders and stretching out his arms. “Nothing.”

  “Bullshit. You might not want to share, but it’s fucking time you did. You’re hurting the team and I can’t allow it.”

  His eyes slid away from me. “What are you going to do, kick me out?”

  “Maybe.”

  A flicker of fear widened his eyes before he shut down, giving me his usual scowl. “Do whatever you think best, Alpha.”